Ibo Island Lodge building and development progress update!!

IBO ISLAND LODGE: BUILDING & DEVELOPMENT PROGRESS UPDATE: SEPTEMBER 2006

Ibo Island lodge's development starts gorgeously each morning around 5am when the sun rises and a colony of masked weavers commencing their exited nest building accompanied by a chorus of cheeping and chirping. This is the time that we enjoy a strong cup of Ibo coffee (ancient Arab plantations still produce the unique Ibo crop which is fire roasted and hand ground) setting us up for the day ahead....

The highly anticipated opening of Ibo Island Lodge - the hottest new addition to the luxury Lodges of the Quirimbas Archipelago, is drawing closer and the immenent pressure is on.The development plan aims to bring all departments to completion at the same time: Construction, carpentry, upholstery, hospitality, English language training, activity and guide training, menu development, landscaping and a range of community projects to name but a few. Ibo Island lodge consisting of three magnificent mansions, each over a century old, and walls a meter thick.Fallen into ruin - almost forgotten, and utterly acute the island contains boundless secrets, history, culture and a marine world totally unexplored. It is the first grand scale rehabilitation on the island and we are glad to report its going well.

The project has a strong community mentorship and social up-liftment component. Many of the local people, who are working during the construction phase, will be part of the lodge team from opening onwards.A women who carted stone and sand on their heads, complete with babies wrapped on backs, displaying extraordinary strength, humor and balance, are now learning how to tend to rocket, green peppers, basil, carrots, ginger and garlic in the lodge's garden project.Those finishing off grand 4 -poster beds in the carpentry department are in training to become barmen, waiters and housekeepers. Guided walking safaris into the National Park, historical and cultural tours, kayak routes and mangrove excursions are all being developed.Much to the delight of the whole team here on Ibo, the menu and kitchen training commenced at the beginning of August.It is quite inspiring after just a couple of weeks, to hear the kitchen team discussing the compensation of each other's Creme Brule.Most of these people are born and bred Ibo folk who had never been inside a kitchen before. Remarkable! Our fourteen-meter solid teak traditional dhow, which has been built during the last three years on Ibo, was finally launched using only manpower and ropes alone.According to the community elders on Ibo, it is by far the largest dhow during the last fifty years to be hand crafted on Ibo. Dhow sailing safaris, scuba diving, island hopping and sunset cruises are all being developed aboard this beautiful boat for early 2007.Living and working on Ibo Island during these exciting times is quite extraordinary. One of the Quirimbas National Parks newest protected zones is directly in-front of the lodge and is already encouraging a centralization of life.Large flocks of sacred ibises, yellow bill storks and many more species of birds are now daily occurrences, and at night its common to hear pods of dolphins hunting for fish - their tails producing a distinctive cracking sound as it recoils off the old Ibo harbor wall.All visitors are intrigued by the development of Ibo Island Lodge, not to mention the island's beauty, calmness, history, and very special surroundings.We look forward greatly to unveiling Ibo Island Lodge as the latest luxury product in the Quirimbas Archipelago.

Ibo Island Lodge will be exhibiting on the Mozambique stand at the forthcoming World Travel Market,due for completion in December 2006.

Reminders

Don't forget to visit our Quirimbas Archipelago website for great info on tours,lodges accommodation and other destination info on the Quirimbas Archipelago as well as specially designed itineraries and discounts, at the following address:http://www.quirimbas-mozambique.com

To book a Quirimbas Archipelago holiday,vacation or any other safari to another destination please email our consultants at:info@island-safari.com

Also don't forget to visit the main Island Safari at the following address:http://www.island-safari.com

Thank You

The Island Safari Team

Moremi Game Reserve special Green Season rates!!!

If you can travel between November 1st 2006 and 31st March 2007 we can offer you special Green Season rates which are up to 60% off normal prices
click here for more information

Island Safaris customer testimonials

Today I thought,I should write some customer testimonials which I will hope,give some aspiring safari goers,better clarity why they should use Island Safari as their tour operator.

So,I hope you will read through this,and if you decide to use Island Safari,email us at:

info@island-safari.com

On with the testimonials!

Testimonial 1:

We enjoyed our trip to Victoria Falls , were picked up at the airport andeverything went smoothly. Trips organised by Island went also smoothly. The only issue was the dinner at Boma that the driver who picked us up insisted that he would pick us up at 9-00pm which was far too early , would have preferred to picked up at 9-45pm.Other than that very happy with service.Trust the following will assist.

Kind regards
Martin

Testimonial 2:

Alison, we came back home after truly wonderful time. We all loved Benguerra - being so closed to the beach and feel almost like we were the only ones there. The places in Botswana were all fantastic. Each a little different then the other. I think it was great that we had at least one tented camp experience. If we were to go there again this is the kind of accommodation we liked most. Of course we have seen most animals in Chobe and Mujenche Lodge was a great place to stay. The atmosphere there was very special and they have really good guides. After that going to Livingston felt to cosmopolitan, but the hotels location is the best there and we made good use of it going to the Falls every day. After going to Zimbabwe side for elephant safari I was glad we did not have to stay there. Thanks for arranging everything so well. We already started talking about getting back to Africa next year. I shall get back to you about it, but I think it could be Namibia. Thanks again – Gosia and the rest of very happy Pilch Family

Testimonial 3:

We had an excellent support during the booking process , my Island safari’s contact Mrs Claudia was really king and available in order to find the best suitable tour for us.We had good support at JNB Airport ,your rep explained also direction by car towards our destination in Kwazulu natal region.Our stay at Shayamoya was short , infact the driving time from Johannesburg to Pongola (after more then 10 hours of plane ) was too long ( 5/6 hours of car) .Shayamoya lodge is nice but only for 1 or two nights.Our stay at Kosi forest was really pleasant , king managers , good food (the best we had in the whole tour) exiting activities especially “canoe with the guides” ( it rained only one day and we didn’t know what to do because of the wet weather and no heating in the tend , the little negative point ).Our stay al Thonga beach has been an amazing experience , lodges are very very beautiful , well integrated in the landscape , white beaches , interesting activities , we enjoyed a lot sunset at Lake Sibyia. The food was good but we would suggest a more simple cousin – less dressing – more grilled food meat and fish – hoping to return at thonga !!!.Our stay at Isibindi Zulu lodge surprised my husband and me …. We really enjoyed this new experience , the lodge is nice , excellent food , a good note to the manager . He was really kind and explained us tradional zulu life , we visited with him a real zulu village.We also enjoyed driving from thonga to zulu lodge discovering different landscape along the way , probably the only negative note was the 7 hours drive to reach Isibindi zulu lodge.About Botswana probably 4 days weren’t enough to discover more deeply beautiful parks .We think that Safari lodges in Botswana are really expensive comparing the rates with quality of lodges and quality of food.Activities are well organized but for example at Savute lodge we didn’t see a lot of wild animals ( no zebra , no giraffe no buffalo ect) because of the dry period all animals where up to chobe park near the river.Considering that in 4 days we spent 5000 euro in Botswana , this high amount doesn’t balance the quality of the trip , even if we had a good time for sure.We also felt different approach toward lodge’s manager , Xugana lodge was very comfortable, nice and kind people very friendly.At Savute we didn’t have a good feedback , also the food was not so special related to the daily rate.I Keep South Africa as my favourite Country.I apologize for my engling.CIAO from Italy.

So folks,there you have it.Hope,choosing Island Safari as your tour operator,are much clearer now.

Just a few quick reminders:

Please do visit our site at: http://www.island-safari.com

Email us for any queries or questions at: info@island-safari.com

Please bear in mind that all the destinations mentioned in this post,are all covered by Island Safari,following is a list of websites covering all the destinations,mentioned in this post,all owened by Island Safari.

http://www.okavango-delta-safaris.com
http://www.chobe-national-park.com
http://www.namibia-safari.net
http://bazaruto-archipelago.com
http://elephant-back-safaris.com
http://www.moremi-game-reserve.com

Enjoy the rest of your day!

The Island Safari Team

News update from Island Safari.com

Hi All,

As Botswana is one of Island Safari's biggest destinations,we thought it would be great to give all you safari goers out there a news update from some of the camps in Botswana.

So Here goes.Enjoy.

Kanana – After a July cold spell(from the cold front in South Africa) sending wildlife shivering under the bushes,the sun returned bringing the lions and other defiant species back ! On their return journey are our feathered friends returning from Europe starting their summer breeding at Kanana’s private heronry.Pink backed pelicans are plentitude and various nests
are being built.

Shinde Camp - After a long week with everyone in a depression thinking that the new cubs at Shinde Camp had died, having been killed by an outlaw lion in the area– have re-appeared
from hiding much to everybody's relief and are now seen regularly and are growing day by day.

Young Explorer’s Delta at Footsteps Camp – With the July and August school summer holidays,the Young Explorers program has been very busy with children from across the world.Highlights on safari has been: making traditional bow and arrow sets, “target shooting” with air rifles, football matches instead of the ‘usual’ guided walks and game drives and the kids roasting some nice marshmallows.

Okuti - With life being boring at Okuti (not) with daily sightings of leopards and lions.With evening game drives,three different leopards have been seen as well
as local Xakanaxa Camp pride feasting on hippo.

Edo’s Camp – The highly fertile rhino bull has been at it again (without anyone noticing) making Edo’s one of the most successful white rhino breeding areas in Botswana. The total number of rhino's at Edo’s now comes to seven and as they stay close to the water pan, they are easily spotted and observed by guests.

Reminders

Don't forget to visit our botswana website for great info on tours , safaris , camps accommodation and other destination information on Botswana as well as specially designed itineraries and discounts, at the following address:

http://www.okavango-delta-safaris.com

To book a Botswana Safari or a safari to any other destination please email our consultants at:

info@island-safari.com

Also don't forget to visit the main Island Safari at the following address:

http://www.island-safari.com

Thank You

The Island Safari Team